Finials are ornamental objects whose primary known use is to beautify the top of table lamps. The decorative portion of finials is known to be designed in many sizes, shapes and styles, with each different design providing a unique visual appearance, while the mating or attaching portion is generally of a standard size so that the finial can be mounted atop most finial-receiving table lamps. Recently, efforts have been made to extend the benefits of decorative finials beyond the top of table lamps by adapting other utilitarian objects to receive standard-sized finials. See, e.g., Yousefzadeh, Application Ser. No. 08/683,259, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,758,850. Among these efforts have been those targeted to adapt a pull chain for a utilitarian device, such as a lamp or a ceiling fan, to receive a finial. Prior art finial-adaptive pull chains include those illustrated in Sawyer, U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,618. Therein, a first pull chain is illustrated having a cumbersome two-piece bell-shaped finial adaptor in which a bell-shaped upper portion of the adaptor is suspended loosely on an oversized terminal bead of a bead chain (See FIG. 3 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,618). A second pull chain is illustrated having a one-piece finial adaptor which is loosely suspended upon a similarly oversized terminal bead (See FIG. 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,618). Both of these illustrated prior art pull chain adaptors have a lip on the upper portion of the adaptor which limits the travel distance up the adaptor of an attached finial and remains fully exposed when the finial is attached.
While the efforts such as those exemplified in Sawyer have extended the visual benefits of finials to the field of pull chains, they have significant disadvantages associated with them. A primary disadvantage is the inability to adequately absorb the dynamic tensile stresses placed on the pull chain by end-users attempting to activate or deactivate the associated device. This weakness has manifested itself in a significant risk that the pull chain will become disconnected from or cause severe damage to the electrical switching components of the associated device. Known designs also include design complexities in the adaptor which give rise to further disadvantages. For instance, known adaptors have been known to include a large diameter upper portion which remains exposed after finial attachment. Adaptors remaining in plain view may undesirably clash with the decorative requirements of the end-user. Thus, there is a need for a sturdier, simpler and more aesthetically appealing finial-adaptive pull chain which addresses these and other limitations of the prior art.